In Memory of Prof. Ahmad Syafii Maarif as Teacher of the Nation in Indonesia

 On May 27, 2022, Indonesia lost a Teacher of the Nation, Prof. Ahmad Syafi’i Maarif. The Indonesian people are deeply saddened by his passing. Because for almost three decades, Buya Syafii has made extraordinary contributions to the Indonesian people. The news of his death does remind me of the deaths of Gus Dur, Cak Nur, and Habibie. They are the best figures of the nation that Indonesia has ever had. Therefore, as an Islamic scholar, I would like to write down my impression of Sang Buya, born on May 31, 1935, in West Sumatra. I do not know Sang Buya personally, but since living in Yogyakarta in 1996, I have read the works of Buya Syafii Maarif. Therefore, intellectually, I learned a lot from the figure of Buya Syafii Maarif. Buya Syafii is one of the Islamic thinkers in Indonesia who is so strong in introducing modernity, Islam, and Indonesianness. His progressive attitude, intellectual dignity, and consistency in the advancement of open-minded thinking, especially in any circle, always being there to defend the nation’s interests are among the characteristics of Buya Syafii. Buya Syafii Maarif is one of the last Teacher of the Nation owned by the Indonesian people. His ability to think clearly in dealing with various problems of this nation shows that he is above all groups with his way and method of thinking. Fazlur Rahman’s student is indeed very productive. His works always offer an intense reflective mindset. His works are always awaited and read by Islamic scholars in Indonesia. As far as I know, apart from Buya Syafii and Cak Nur, Fazlur Rahman also has a student in Malaysia, namely Prof. Wan Mohd. Noor.TrendingConsciousness 2045: From Artificial Intelligence to Artificial Consciousness and the Future of Humanity His reluctance to get involved in practical politics, which the